Arch support



June 16,1942. D. MATTESON 2,286,495

ARCH SUPPORT Filed Jan. 15, 1940 jjco/ph/ Na 772500,

Patented June 16, 1942 UNITED TATES T l-OFFICE 3 Claims,

. This invention relates to an improved arch support of the type shownin my co-pending application Serial Number 240397, filed November 14,

.forms the lower wall of the air pocket.

insole memberlia centrally of the area vI which Thus,

. when a projecting needle 9, carried by the nozzle 1938, wherein an airpocket is provided to support the desired arch of the foot.

Objects of the present invention are to provide means to facilitateinflation or a partial deflation of the air pocket so that the lattermay be readily properly adjusted to the individual need, and so that anyair eventually lost from the pocket may be replenished; and to provide ahighly resilient and porous pad in the air pocket, made of sponge rubberor the like, so as to provide for uniform distribution of the air in theair pocket.

With the above general objects in view, the present invention consistsin the novel form, combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter morefully described and shown in the accompanying drawing and claimed.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a bottom plan view of an arch support pictured in accordancewith the present invention.

Figure 2 is a top plan view thereof.

Figure 3 is a longitudinal section on line 3-3 of Figure 2; and

Figure 4 is a transverse section taken through the arch support at theair pocket, and showing the manner of using a special air pump of thebulb type in inflating the air pocket.

Referring in detail to the drawing, the present arch support is adaptedto be arranged interiorly of a shoe, and includes a pair of similarinsole members 5 and 511 out from pure sheet rubber. These insolemembers are superimposed and adhered together throughout their adjacentsurfaces except at opposed areas 6 and l where the air pocket is formedto provide the desired arch support. While an air pocket or arch supportmay be provided for either or both the transverse and/or longitudinalarch of the foot, the device shown is illustrated by way of example asincluding a single air pocket or arch support for the transverse arch ofthe foot. The insole members 5 and 5a may be adhered together bycementing, vulcanizing or the like, the device being preferably placedin a heated mold after inflation of the air pocket so as to cause thelatter to protrude upwardly and downwardly, but with the upwardprotrusion greater as illustrated clearly in Figure 3.

Before the insole members 5 and 5a are secured together, a disk of softrubber 8 is secured upon one of the insole members, such as the lower H]of an air pump, is inserted through the lower wall I of the air pocketand through the disk 8, the pocket may be. inflated to the desireddegree or partially deflated to thedesired degree, the

opening made in. the disk 8 automatically sealing itself due to the softnature of the rubber from which the disk 8 is made, upon withdrawal ofthe nozzle I0 and needle 9 of the pump. However, in order to morepositively secure against leakage of air from the air pocket after thisis done, another soft rubber disk I I may be adhered on the outer faceof the lower wall 1 of the air pocket over the opening made by theneedle 9 and nozzle I0 of the air pump. As the disk II is readilyremovable, it may be replaced by a new one from time to time or eachtime the pump is used for adjustment of the air pocket. The pump shownis of the conventional bulb type including the bulb I2 provided with theinflation nozzle Ill and projecting needle 9.

A pad 14 of highly resilient and highly porous material, such as spongerubber, is also placed between the walls 6 and 1 of the air pocket priorto securing or adhering the insole members 5 and. 5a together. Thepurpose of this pad is not to furnish the actual or main arch supportingelement, as the air placed in the pocket is mainly relied upon toperform this function. The pad I4, therefore, is primarily designed touniformly distribute the air provided in the air pocket. In this way, amost efficient cushion is had, the air being maintained so distributedthat the shock of air force against the walls of the air pocket isrelieved, thereby, insuring longer life of the device and giving a moregentle massage to the foot.

The arch support is completed by covering the exposed surfaces of theinsole members 5 and 5a with sheets of suitable finishing material l8and [9, preferably formed or cut from leather and cemented in place. Thelower covering or finishing sheet l9 may have an opening as at 20 tofacilitate application of the sealing disk I l directly to the lowerwall I of the air pocket.

From the foregoing description, it will be seen that the present archsupport is extremely simple and durable in construction, highlyefiicient in use, and well adapted for carrying out the stated objectsof the invention.

What I claim as new is:

1. An arch supporting device adapted to be arranged interiorly of ashoe, comprising a pair of similar sheet rubber insole membersconforming to the shape of the shoe bottom, said insole members beingsuperimposed and adhered together throughout the major portion of theiradjacent surfaces and except at predetermined opposed restricted areasto form an air pocket therebetween arranged to provide an arch supportwhen inflated, and a disk of soft rubber adhered to one of said insolemembers within said areas, whereby the pocket may be inflated orpartially deflated to the desired degree at will by means of a pumphaving a nozzle provided with a needle to puncture said disk and theinsole member to which it is secured, said disk being capable ofautomatically sealing its puncture upon withdrawal of the needle of thepump from the latter.

2. An arch supporting device adapted to be arranged interiorly of ashoe, comprising a pair of similar sheet rubber insole membersconforming to the shape of the shoe bottom, said insole members beingsuperimposed and adhered together throughout the major portion of theiradjacent surfaces and except at predetermined opposed restricted areasto form an air pocket therebetween arranged to provide an arch supportwhen inflated, and a disk of soft rubber adhered to one of said insolemembers within said area, whereby the pocket may be inflated orpartially deflated to the desired degree at will by means of a pumphaving a nozzle provided with a needle to puncture said disk and theinsole member to which it is secured, said disk being capable ofautomatically sealing its puncture upon withdrawal of the needle of thepump from the latter, said device being molded so that the air pocketprotrudes upwardly and downwardly with the upward protrusion greater.

3. An arch supporting device adapted to be arranged interiorly of ashoe, comprising a pair of similar sheet rubber insole membersconforming to the shape of the shoe bottom, said insole members beingsuperimposed and adhered together throughout the major portion of theiradjacent surfaces and except at predetermined opposed restricted areasto form an air pocket therebetween arranged to provide an arch supportwhen inflated, and disks of soft rubber adhered to the inner and outersurfaces of one of said insole members Within said areas, whereby thepocket may be inflated or partially deflated to the desired degree atwill by means of a pump having a nozzle provided with a needle topuncture said disks and the insole members to which they are secured,said disks being capable of automatically sealing their punctures uponwithdrawal of the needle of the pump from the latter.

RALPH D. MATTESON.

